The Dark Knight Rises director
Christopher Nolan has expressed ‘profound sorrow’ after 12 people were killed at a midnight screening of the movie in the Denver suburb of Aurora, Colorado, on Friday.

Red carpet premieres of The Dark Knight Rises had taken place in New York City and London prior to the deadly shooting (Picture: AFP/Getty)

In a statement issued on behalf of the cast and crew of the Batman movie, Nolan described the events in Aurora as a ‘senseless tragedy’.

‘I would not presume to know anything about the victims of the shooting but that they were there last night to watch a movie,’ he said.

‘I believe movies are one of the great American art forms and the shared experience of watching a story unfold on screen is an important and joyful pastime. The movie theatre is my home, and the idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating to me.’

Authorities in the US have identified the gunman as neuroscience grad student James Holmes.

He reportedly opened fire on cinemagoers about half an hour into a screening of The Dark Knight Rises at a cinema in Aurora, killing 12 and wounding 50.

Nolan added: ‘Nothing any of us can say could ever adequately express our feelings for the innocent victims of this appalling crime, but our thoughts are with them and their families.’

The Paris premiere of The Dark Knight Rises had already been cancelled (Picture: Splash)

Holmes, 24, was said to be armed with an assault rifle, a shotgun and two pistols, and is thought to have been wearing a riot helmet, a bulletproof vest and a gas mask.

Aurora is just 21 miles (35km) from Littleton, the site of the 1999 Columbine school massacre where two gunmen killed 13 people.

Warner Bros meanwhile has cancelled the red carpet premieres of the film in Tokyo and Mexico City.

Special screenings of the movie will go ahead in the Japanese and Mexican capitals but will not be attended by its stars.

Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway and Morgan Freeman were all due to attend the premieres.

‘Due to the tragic events in Aurora, Colorado, Warner Bros Pictures has cancelled the previously scheduled personal appearances by the cast and filmmakers in Mexico and Japan on behalf of The Dark Knight Rises,’ a statement released to E! Online said.

‘However, in an effort not to disappoint the dedicated fans of the film, we will proceed with our previously scheduled special screenings for invited guests and promotional winners.’